The first 2 weeks of August 1952 were very wet in the south west of England. Then on afternoon and evening of 15th August 9 inches of rain fell over Exmoor and caused devastating floods along the courses of the Rivers East & West Lyn, Exe and Barle and their tributaries. 34 people died (28 of them in Lynmouth and Barbrook), 100 buildings and many bridges (including Tarr Steps and Marsh Bridge) were damaged or destroyed. In Bridge Street, Dulverton there is a plaque showing the height that the River Barle reached in the town. It was donated by two soldiers who assisted in the clean up operation.
1952 Flood plaque in Dulverton
1952 Flood plaque
Marsh Bridge - rebuilt after the 1952 floods
Decoration on Marsh Bridge
"The hedge that moved"
I was told by someone who was living at Higher Marsh in August 1952, that a section of bank and three beech trees close to the River Barle upstream of Marsh Bridge was moved wholesale by the force of the water about 50 metres downstream. It remains in the middle of a field and the trees have carried on growing. There is no public access to the field, so this was the best photo I could get of the trees. The are located slightly to the left of the centre of the photo.
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